Former defense minister and Goa CM Manohar Parrikar passed away yesterday after a prolonged battle with cancer. The 63-year-old politician, who was in his fourth term of office, had been diagnosed with an advanced stage of pancreatic cancer last February. He had been traveling between hospitals in and out of the country all through the year for treatment and briefly rejoined office for work.

Advanced pancreatic cancer, which the politician was suffering from, is a rare disease with very low odds of survival. As per global statistics, only 3-5% of the patients diagnosed with the disease survive for a little over 5 years. Here are some of the symptoms of the tragic disease you should know about. Symptoms Pancreatic cancer might be rare but very grave. The pancreas, which is located behind the stomach, is an important gland in your body. But when cancerous cells form in the external lining and the tissues of the organ, it can lead to further damage and affect functioning. The risk for pancreatic cancer also multiplies with age and is more common in men than women. While it is not easy to detect symptoms of Pancreatic cancer, here are some of the most commonly reported symptoms of the disease.
-People report pain in the upper part of the abdomen, often happening chronically.
-Constant back pain and stiffness on the lower part of the spine
-Experiencing signs of indigestion
- Loss in appetite
- Digestion troubles
-Facing a little difficulty in swallowing, experiencing heaviness at the back of the throat.
Some patients also report signs of jaundice, fever and unexplained weight loss over days. Some studies have also pointed out that patients who are diagnosed with this kind of cancer may also experience symptoms of depression.
However, you should also know that not all pancreatic tumours are cancerous. Certain cysts which form on the gland can be benign and only a few are cancerous. Therefore, early detection is the key to survival, just like any other kind of cancer.
There are also certain factors, which increase your risk of getting cancer. Some common factors include:

-Chronic inflammation of the pancreas, which is also known as pancreatitis

-A family history of cancer, or having a certain gene mutation (BRCA2)

-Diabetes

-Smoking or tobacco usage

-Obesity

How is it treated?

The first course of treatment is detection. Early the detection and testing, higher are the odds of survival. Once the patient exhibits symptoms of cancer, doctors and specialists usually order tests such as MRI scans and a Biopsy to study the cancer spread. Depending on the results and seeing how far the cancerous cells have spread, ideal treatment course is advised. Chemotherapy, radiation and surgery to remove the malignant part from the body is usually prescribed.

Source: indiatimes.com